Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, and in the southeastern and northeastern regions of North America.

Habitat: Mud flats and vernal pools.

Flowers: April-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Weak, glabrous annual with prostrate and nodally rooting to ascending to erect, freely-branching stems 2-6 cm. long.

Leaves opposite, entire, succulent, linear or linear-oblanceolate, 3-6 mm. long, with sheathing bases.

Flowers minute, single in the leaf axils, greenish, the pedicles short in flower but lengthening up to 6 mm. in fruit; calyx cup-shaped, 0.5-1 mm. long, with 4 ovate-triangular lobes about half the length; petals 4, membranous, whitish, oblong-lanceolate, 1.5 mm. long; stamens 4, shorter than the petals.

Follicles less than 2 mm. long, erect, purplish.